Student, professional art featured at UHS art gala

EAST MARLBOROUGH — From intricate, hand-carved pieces of one-of-a-kind furniture to stills of Samuel L. Jackson from “Pulp Fiction,” the art on display at Unionville High School was a hit.

Featuring more than 80 artists from the region as well as works from just as many art students, the event has become a school tradition during the past 37 years.

Director Lynda Nadin said she was pleased with the turnout, adding that she felt the gala benefitted from people glad to be out and about in the pleasant, hurricane-free weather.

“And on Friday night, what helped us was we had the trifecta; we had the middle school dance, the football game and this,” she said. “So this was a hopping hub.”

She sales were steady, but as of Saturday afternoon she was still unsure as to how things would turn out on the financial end.

“Friday, a lot of people come to look and think, and then they go and talk it over with their significant other. And then, today is the buy,” she said. “Hopefully, they’re here and buying, but I’m seeing a lot of ‘sold’ stickers.”

Nadin was also excited to have Unionville graduate Doug Mooberry as the show’s featured artist for the first time after he has been a part of the regular show for the previous four years.

“He loves coming here. I mean, look at his display; he’s such a professional,” she said. “And his wife does the pottery, which makes it a nice husband-and-wife team.”

For his part, Mooberry said he was extremely pleased to be featured, and had many extremely ornate and unique pieces from his workshop, Kinloch Woodworking, on display in the lobby of the gala.

“The show’s really good for the Unionville community, to show that art is a wonderful thing,” he said.

He added that he was honored to be the featured artist, and has seen interest in his work grow each and every year he’s done the show.

“And with the new layout, it’s wonderful because the circular layout brings people around in such a way that it really seems like a show,” he said.

“This new space is amazing; you can just really stand back and admire the artwork,” said artist and Gala space designer Karen Delaney. “The new construction lent a lot to the beauty of this show, so we’re very happy to be able to fill the space.”

Delaney said she was also pleased to have Mooberry as the show’s featured artist, particularly because he’s literally right up the street from the high school.

“The whole community is oftentimes surprised that there are so many talented artists in this area, so they have a sense of ownership of this show and of the town around here,” Delaney said.

“People are so creative, and there are so many different ideas and ways of expressing them,” Mooberry said of the works he’d seen over the weekend.